When I was a kid, I used to fantasize about what I would do in a post-apocalyptic world, thanks in large part to the movie, DAWN OF THE DEAD. I’m talking the original, not the remake that was kinda cool, but still can’t hold a candle to Ken Foree kicking undead ass. Everywhere I went, I would check out my surroundings and look for escape routes or places where I could burrow inside to ride out the worst. And the end of the world didn’t need to have zombies (like everyone thinks today). I wanted to be Charlton Heston in THE OMEGA MAN (version #2 of Richard Matheson’s classic, I AM LEGEND), tooling around in a sports car, watching movies in a theater all by myself, having all kinds of guns at my disposal and knocking back scotch like a real man.

All those years of wondering, what if, have finally come to fruition with my latest paperback out with Pinnacle books today, TORTURES OF THE DAMNED.

The more I read about the various weapons floating around on the black market for any crackpot with a grudge to buy and unleash on innocent people, the more I want to slip away to some out of the way place, honing my doomsday prepping skills. In TORTURES OF THE DAMNED, I was able to live out my darkest fears, pitting an average family against impossible odds. Imagine going about your day only to see the sky erupt with strange explosions. First, everything electronic stops working. Communications are lost, planes fall out of the sky, cars careen headlong into one another. Then come dark clouds roiling with chemicals that can kill on contact. What do you do? Where do you run? And what depths would you sink to in order to survive?

The world the Padilla family finds themselves in is stark, bewildering and terrifying. It’s amazing to think how little it would take to throw civilization into the stone age.

So take my hand and let’s face the apocalypse together. I promise I won’t let go.

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Okay, I’ve been talking alot about the fun that is soon to come at the SCARES THAT CARE WEEEKEND this Friday through Sunday. From authors, to celebs like Kane Hodder, Sid Haig and Kari Wuhrer, movie marathons, makeup wars and even tick or treating, the folks who put this all together have injected it with an HGH/steroid cocktail. I’m loading up the Monster Mobile and the entire Shea clan so we can descend on Williamsburg, VA like locusts from a Roger Corman drive-in flick. The beer is already cooling and the Shea women are piling up the treats to share with everyone who stops by our table.

I also just got a delivery of awesome Montauk Monster can cozies to celebrate the release of the audio adaptation by GraphicAudio. If you’re going to be drinking with me, you need to keep your beer cold! We’re going to run a special during the Scares weekend – buy 2 books and you get a cozy, fo’ free.(Modelo not included, but if you ask nice, I will share the beer I’ll have under the table)

For those who plan to come to my reading with Armand Rosamilia on Saturday, audience participation will be rewarded. I’ll be talking about the real Dover Demonincident in 1977 and tossing prizes to the peeps who can answer the monster trivia I throw out. Bone up on your cryptozoology if you want to bring home the bacon.

Like I’ve said before, I’ll have lots of copies of my upcoming releases, TORTURES OF THE DAMNED and THE DOVER DEMON. You can get a signed copy before the rest of the world, a Scares that Care exclusive. Naturally, copies of all of my books will be on hand as well. I think I aggravated my hernia when I tried lifting the container. Is there a doctor in the house?

If you’ve got some vocal chops – hell, even if you don’t – swing by the hotel bar for some scaryoke. Last year, I heard some pretty good pipes. Of course, as the night wore on, things got a little less than stellar, but hey, that’s what scaryoke is for!

So come one, come all, and know you’re getting your horror on for a very good cause, because when all is said and done, this one is for charity. Support the denizens of the dark and help those in need.

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I honestly don’t know what feels better, finishing writing a new novel, or getting that first delivery of printed author copies in the mail. It’s a tight, tight race for supremacy. I especially had to savor this moment when my copies of THE DOVER DEMON arrived, because I won’t see another box like this until next year. Of course, it was a bit startling seeing that face and those cold, black eyes staring back at me!

You can pre-order the book on August 1st, or if you plan to attend Scares That Careon July 24-26th, I’ll be signing copies of the very books you see here.

If you want to be a writer, don’t do it for the money. Do it for the rush of getting your own box o’ books. Now, if I can somehow get my hands on a box o’ gold bars.

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When I was a kid growing up in the 70s, some of my fondest memories took place in the kitchen of our Bronx apartment. My father and I used to put together monster model kits – Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Forgotten Prisoner of Castle Mare, Jaws, you name it. While we worked on those models, the smell of glue making me dizzy, we listened to the radio. A local college station played all the great radio plays from yesteryear, from The Shadow to Flash Gordon and even some Charlie Chan every now and then (you can listen to a lot of them now at http://www.RadioLovers.com)

I loved those old shows. I truly believe they’re part of the reason I grew up with this very active imagination. Some might say overactive, but I’m fine with that.

Last year, I was told that my novel, The Montauk Monster, was going to be made into an audiobook. Ok, cool, I’ve had that done before with other books.

The time has come, and when I heard a preview, I was floored – and it takes a lot to knock my socks and shoes off.

First, here’s the new cover designed by the great folks at GraphicAudio. Not for the squeamish!

Kinda looks like an undercooked sausage that bites back!

Anyhow, GraphicAudio doesn’t just produce standard audiobooks. No, like their tagline says, they make movies for your mind. The Montauk Monster is acted out by a wonderful cast, complete with chilling music, sound effects and enough scares to give your goose bumps goose bumps. When I heard it, it was like listening to someone else’s book. Surreal doesn’t even come close to describing that moment.

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A couple of weeks back, I posted an offer for people to send me a self addressed, stamped envelope and I would send signed bookmarks for my upcoming releases, TORTURES OF THE DAMNED and THE DOVER DEMON. The only problem was, I transposed 2 of the numbers in the zip code. More proof why authors should never be their own editors.

So, I want to make it up to you in 2 ways. For people living in the United States, you can :

1. email me at huntershea1@gmail.com with your name and address and I’ll send the bookmarks to you.

2. send 1 copy of any of my books you’d like signed to the correct address below and I’ll mail it back to you on my dime.

Hunter Shea

PO Box 232

Yonkers, NY 10710

Yours truly,

The Idiot

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I used to go to the Horrorfind convention in Gettysburg, PA every year because it was the one con jam packed with authors. Most years, the number of authors outnumbered the celebrity guests, which was just fine by me. I’d load up with signed books and have my TBR pile set for months. And I wasn’t alone. Throngs of people came to see their favorite writers, year after year.

Then Horrorfind bit the dust.

But since this is the horror genre, it rose from the dead, only with a new name and location. I attended the Scares That Care Weekend last year in Williamsburg, VA and totally felt the Horrorfind vibe. I met a ton of people who actually like to read horror, not just watch it and collect signed headshots. So it was a no brainer to go again. The fun starts on July 24th and goes all through the weekend.

Let me tell you, there are some great authors attending this year. So, for all you hardcore readers, here’s what I hope is the complete list, because not everyone is listed on the website :

Brian Keene

Tom Monteleone

Jonathan Janz

Carlton Mellick

Edward Lee

F Paul Wilson

Ron Malfi

Kelli Owen

Tim Waggoner

Russell James

Kristopher Rufty

David Bernstein

Armand Rosamilia

The Light Brothers

Laura James

Will Bozarth

Edward L. Jefferson

Christian Jensen

I mean, holy cow! Every taste is catered to this year.

I’ll be doing a reading (and if you know me, you know it will be very different from a reading) along with Armand Rosamilia on Saturday at 3:15, and an author Q&A on Sunday at 1:00.

So hop in that car or plane and head down to Virginny this summer. I’ll have copies of all my books on hand, as well as an advance release for my new Pinnacle paperback, Tortures of the Damned and, cross your fingers, The Dover Demon. And if you’ve ever met me at a con, you know I’ll have plenty of beer to share. Bottoms up!

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Ok, I’ll admit that I added Jessica Biel to the title of this post because a) her last name rhymes with ‘deal’ and b) a friend and I were just talking about her in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake back in 2003 and how we liked the movie mostly because she was in it looking all kinds of fine.

I mean, yowza! Anyway, horror fanboy fantasies aside, I do have some pretty exciting news to share.

I can’t believe it slipped my mind to announce this earlier, but the ink on my latest contract with Samhain is more than dry. They’ll publish my new novella, I KILL IN PEACE, in early 2016. This one is a total departure from what I normally dabble in (ghosts and monsters) and can be brutal. Reading discretion is advised. Here’s the elevator pitch :

Killing can be habit forming, especially when the texts and voices in your head give their marching orders and your victims deserve it. Peter Blades can’t stop weaving a path of destruction, unsure if he’s gone insane or become the puppet of a higher power, speeding headlong to a terrifying end while the world goes mad around him.

My sister has always been my first reader and editor, and I think this one may have scarred her for life.

I’m also thrilled to announce that I’m writing a sea monster novella for a brand new publisher (for me, anyway), Severed Press. I’m really excited to work with them because these ladies and gents know their monsters. The title of my book will be THEY RISE. I can’t give much away at this point, but I’m looking to meld Jaws with Swamp Monster Massacre. Strap in for this one! There’s no release date set yet, but I believe it will come out in 2016.

Believe it or not, there’s one more to announce, but I can’t just yet. Let’s just say the book is already written and it involves a cryptid on the loose. More on that very soon.

And that’s all the news that’s not fit to print. 2016 is going to be a veeery busy year.

On a totally different note, I’m wondering if I’m the only horror author with tickets to see Shania Twain on her farewell tour.

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I’m just a week and change away from unveiling the first issue of the Dark Hunter Newsletter. Whole lot of insider info is going to be packed in there because there’s a ton of monstrous stuff coming this summer and fall.

If you want to be in on all the latest, sign up today. To sweeten the pot, anyone who signs up between now and July 4th is eligible to win a $20 Amazon gift card. The winner will be announced in the newsletter.

So, click hereto join the mad monster party, or mosey on over to the Newsletter tab. The insanity dials up to 11 very, very soon…

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Gearing up for a crazy summer with two, count ’em, two releases – TORTURES OF THE DAMNED on July 28 and THE DOVER DEMON on September 1. Nothing like trying to cram all your fun into a small window of time.

I just got a delivery of bookmarks for both books and I’m happy to sign and send them to anyone who would like them. Thanks to Jerry Mulcahy for being my master designer. If you want the bookmarks, just send a self addressed, stamped envelope to : Hunter Shea, PO Box 232, Yonkers, NY 10710. I’ll sign those puppies and mail them right out.

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Right now, you can get last summer’s smash hit monster thriller, THE MONTAUK MONSTER, on ebook for only $1.99. Load up your Kindles and Nooks and iPads for the beach, and don’t be afraid of the water…just what washes up on the shore!

You can get a copy at Amazon, B&N or KOBO today. I’m not sure how long the sale will last (I wasn’t even aware it started until someone else pointed it out!), so grab it while you can.

And if monsters aren’t your bag, THE HAUNTED HALLS by Glenn Rolfe is free on Amazon aaaand Jonathan Janz’s THE NIGHTMARE GIRL is only 99 cents! You can get three great books for just under $3. I dare you to find a better dealio.